If you’ve never had any sexual contact with a man or a woman, your risk of developing cervical cancer is very low. Women who have never been sexually active may therefore decide not to have a cervical screening test when invited.

Cervical screening (previously known as a smear test) aims to detect abnormal cells in the cervix that could develop into cancer.

If you’ve never had any sexual contact with a man or a woman (this includes penetrative sex and skin-to-skin contact of the genital area), your risk of developing cervical cancer is very low.

Women who have never been sexually active may therefore decide not to have a cervical screening test when invited.

However, you can still have a test if you want one. If you’re not sure, talk to your GP or practice nurse.